September i, 1890.I 
THfe TROPICAL AQRlCtJLTUmST, 
vji 
The Caohar and Sylhet companies began with 
23 and ended with 19, and the profits per lb. went 
down from 2 annas to 0-7. 
In Darjeeling and the Dooars 37 Companies rose 
to 40 and went down to 31. The profit per lb. began 
with 3T and went down to 1'9. In Darjeeling 
alone 31 Companies in 1889 realized annas 1-4 per lb. 
profit : 9 Companies in the Dooars having tfie same 
experience.— In the above we have left out frac- 
tions which, however, we give with reference to the 
total results. These show that the average profit 
per lb. of 78 Companies in 1885 was annas 2-5’75 
which, for 82 Companies went down to 1-1’80 in 
1889. Our readers will more readily appreciate 
the figures for dividends : the average in 1885 was 
5’21 per cent, going down to 4T8 in 1889. 
With all the improvements introduced, therefore, 
and all the economies practised, profits have 
diminished with enhanced production and lowered 
prices, until returns are not equivalent to the 
interest which money in India ought to command. 
The acreage cultivated by the Companies included, 
had risen in the five years from 42,700 to 53,600 
and the crops had increased from 12,1.54,0001b. to 
17,512,000. 
The results are not very encouraging, but the 
capital expenditure had in many cases been heavy. 
Our Ceylon Companies seem immensely more pros- 
perous. May that prosperity continue and may it 
be shared by individual planters. 
— — 
PUBLIC COMPANIES. 
Liberian Government Concessions and 
E xPtORATION. 
Mr. A. 0. Ponsonby, chairman of the board of di- 
rectors, presided yesterday afternoon at a meeting of 
this Company, which was held at the Cannon-street 
Hotel. The Chairman said that the Company had 350 
shareholders on their list, and he hoped, whether the 
stock went up or down, they would not dispose of their 
shares, because he believed there was good business to 
be done. He believed the East Coast of Africa was 
more healthy than the West Coast, but the latter was 
more wealthy, and many people were willing to go and 
work for the company. Some gentlemen who held 
Liberian bonds of 1871 had approached them with the 
object of purchasing their indiarnbber concession : and 
an Indiarnbber Estates’ Company had been successfully 
put before the public, the Liberian Company having 
some part of the payment in shares and a considerable 
portion in money. They hoped to make arrangements 
with Sir John Pender, by means of which they would 
obtain direct telegraphic communication between Liberia 
and England, and this would greatly tend to facilitate 
an interchange of commerce. Apart from the india- 
rubber there was every reason to believe that the 
territory would yield large quantities of cotton avail- 
able for the English markets. Some alterations in the 
articles of association were adopted on the motion of 
the chairman, seconded by Mr. Johnson.— Chro- 
nicle, July 11th. 
— ^ 
THE TEA LEAF. 
There is in my mercantile nature nothing so en- 
tirely and absorbingly interesting as a tea leaf, and 
I trust I may he forgiven for considering this alien 
subject worthy of a few lines of sentiment. I must 
confess to begin with, that to do this subject the 
justice it merits would require the fine poetic genius 
of a Shakspoare and the delicate word-painting of 
a Howells, and being only an ordinary everyday grocer 
intent on seeing that the multitude is supplied with 
pure and unadulterated goods (and plenty of them) 
I trust my siumbling lines will not ruffle the feathers 
of the literary jays too much. In the words of the 
aged, but repeniaut sinner, “ Them’s my sentiments, 
anyhow,” 
“ The poets sing of bcautoou.s flowers 
In sweet and touching rhyine.s, 
They sing' of Love and lovers’ bowers; 
Of wars and peaceful times. 
They sing of Nature’s princely gift, 
Of Sorrow, Grief, and Pain, 
They sing of vales and mountain rifts 
Of Power and Wealth and Gain 
They chant their songs and hymn the praise 
Of Ocean, Earth and Sky, 
Of Lethe’s stream and Pinto’s realm 
And of Parnassus high. 
And yet their Muse, the partial jade 1 
Withholds her smile from thee. 
And loaves to mo of plebeian trade 
To chant the praise of Tea. 
And though my lame and limping lines 
Be void of finished Art, 
'They still, though rough-hewn, bear the signs 
Of all that’s in my heart. 
Thou meek, mild herb, man’s humble friend, 
Thou fragrant, soothing flower 
That cheer’st the world from end to end 
And comfort bring’st eaeh hour. 
From China’s fields and India’s hills 
And Ceylon’s humid shores 
Thou com’st to case our earthly ills 
And ope Contentment’s doors. 
Of Heaven’s many gifts to man. 
And myriads though they be. 
There’s none so all divinely great 
As thou, oh wondrous Tea. 
Tliy little, twisted curly leaves. 
Thy fragrant, balmy breath, 
Thy soothing, cheering, gladd’ning touch 
Robs half the fear of Death. 
The prince, the pauper, rich ami poor 
The great, the strong, the weak. 
The learned men of mighty minds 
Thy cheering cup must seek. 
The soldier worn with warring cares. 
The sailor on the deep, 
'The humble delver, with thy aid 
Obtain refreshing sleep. 
The patient watcher by the side 
Of fever’s fitful bed 
Would surely find her task too great 
But for thy ble.ssed aid 
’The weary seainstres.s, evening come, 
Her humble home regains. 
And in thy strengthening fluid finds 
Great solace for her pains. 
The ladies. Fashion’s fluttering birds, 
Dear gossip-loving dames 1 
How round thy post-meridian board 
They sip -and ruin names. 
Oil 1 wondrous leaf, oh, beauteous flower ' 
Thy virtues are untold— 
From immemorial time, each hour 
New joys thou does unfold. ’ 
Accept these humble lines from ■mo— 
And know I love and worship thee 
Oh, Tea ! ! 
WiLLi/tM Henry Seyleh, in Cunadiun Grocer* 

THE TEA TRADE OE EOOCIIOW, 
A LAMENTATION, 
The following ‘ communicated ’ article appears in 
the Foochow Echo : — 
It is with an ever-deepening regret tha t we watch 
the decay of the principal trade of this port— fca. 
There is no blinking the fact that each season sees a 
smaller business in our staple, and that oven with the 
lessened receipts of the leaf, there is annually more 
trouble and difficulty in the purchase of it at this side, 
and shall we say— loss in its sale at tne other. The 
reasons for this gradual falling off of what should be 
one of the best, most remunerative, and cleanest of 
trades, are not tar to seek. They have been again and 
again brought to the notice of those most concerned 
in the busines.s, they have been made as public a.s pr^ ut 
can make them, aud with what result t'— absp'.utelv 
none. Is tim case then hopeless ? We answe’- unhesi- 
tatingly, le.s, whilst present conditions I'ast' Let ns 
first look to the quality of the article no’',- exported It 
compares m. st unfavourably with what we wereacciis- 
tomed to see, say 15 to 20 years ago. The ‘make’ is 
rot so good more brown and with, red leaves are left 
m the bulk, less trouble is e.xpended over the twisting 
and more dust is found. The tiring, formerly perfornud 
with great care, ig now humedly done, and to please, 
